New York Yankees pitcher Don Larson died Wednesday of esophageal cancer, while in hospice in Hayden, Idaho. He was 90 years old.
Larsen pitched a perfect game for the New York Yankees in the 1956 World Series. With Larsen on the mound, the Yanks won Game 5 2-0 to take a three-games-to-two lead over the Dodgers and went on the win the World Championship.
Despite that glorious game, Larsen's career was mostly mediocre. He had a career record of 81 wins with 91 loses for seven different teams from 1953 through 1967.
Larsen didn't think he'd get another shot to pitch in the '56 series after he was yanked from Game 2 in the second inning due to control problems. When Yankees manager Casey Stengel announced that Larsen would pitch Game 5 of the '56 series, Larsen vowed, "I'll show 'em all. Don't be surprised if I pitch a no-hitter too." That he did...